Historically, for roads constructed of liquid asphalt cement and aggregate, the standard composition of the mixture ranges from 94% to 96% aggregate, with the remaining percentage being liquid asphalt binder. Over the years, various chemical additives have been introduced to the standard composition to improve the durability and lifespan of the road. Over time, with improved road performance, the desire to include recycled materials gained support from government agencies and environmentalists. Recycled materials have included recycled asphalt pavement (referred to as “RAP”), recycled asphalt shingles (referred to as “RAS”), recycled tire rubber, and recycled glass bottles. The concept behind recycling is to reuse or recycle materials; however, recycled materials tend to negatively impact the durability and lifespan of the road. The present invention is directed to addressing this problem and thereby achieving highly desirable cost and environmental benefits, such as reducing landfills.
Various asphalt material recycling methods are known in the art and are illustrated in the following U.S. patent documents: Published Patent Application Numbers 2011/0015313 and 20112/0167802 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,663,378; 8,679,345; and 8,734,581.